This 5-ingredient oven baked fruit cocktail dessert is the kind of old-fashioned pantry recipe that earns a place on a busy holiday table because it is simple, economical, and surprisingly comforting. Using canned fruit cocktail in heavy syrup gives the dessert its built-in sweetness and moisture, while a few everyday baking staples turn it into a warm, spoonable treat with a golden top and soft fruit underneath, much like a quick cobbler or dump-style dessert.
Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream, lightly sweetened whipped cream, or a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt if you want to balance the sweetness. For Thanksgiving or other holiday meals, it fits especially well alongside coffee, black tea, or even a small glass of dessert wine, and it is excellent with toasted pecans scattered over the top just before serving.
5-Ingredient Oven Baked Fruit Cocktail Dessert
Servings: 8
Ingredients
2 cans (15 ounces each) fruit cocktail in heavy syrup, undrained
1 box (about 15.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or small metal sheet pan.
2. Pour the undrained fruit cocktail into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer so the syrup covers the bottom evenly.
3. Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the fruit, covering the surface as uniformly as possible without stirring.
4. Drizzle the melted butter all over the cake mix, then sprinkle the cinnamon and chopped pecans or walnuts across the top.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before spooning into bowls and serving warm.
Variations & Tips
Crunchier topping: If you like more texture, add an extra 1/4 cup chopped nuts or a couple tablespoons of old-fashioned oats to the top before baking. This gives the dessert a more cobbler-like finish.
Warmer spice version: A pinch of nutmeg or allspice works well with the cinnamon and makes the dessert feel even more festive for late fall and holiday meals.
Butter coverage tip: Try to drizzle the melted butter as evenly as possible so there are fewer dry patches in the cake mix. If a few pale spots remain after baking, that is perfectly normal in this style of dessert.
Serving tip: This dessert is sweetest on the day it is baked and best served warm. If reheating leftovers, a short time in the oven will help restore some of the crispness on top better than the microwave.